Page 117 of Dirty Legacy

Angie touches my cheek, smiles at me fondly, and kisses my chin. “Love you.”

“Yeah, love you, too.”

She leaves me in the hall.

I listen to the sounds of my dad and my best friend working on my future child’s furniture. I close my eyes and think about all the troubles I have, all the stress and the pain, the sanctions from the war still hanging like a sword over my head. I’m good with Declan now, but we’ll never be back to where we were before. He’ll never trust me like he once did.

Which has to be fine. I’ll rebuild, as always.

Maybe not the same, but better.

With this new family.

EPILOGUE: ANGIE

One year later

“Happy birthday!” I pull the end of a popper and spray glitter and streamers all over a glum-looking Rowan as she sits in front of her cake. She bends over the seventeen candles Danielle painstakingly placed in a perfect circle and blows them out.

“That’s my girl,” Cathal says, hugging his daughter, who only squirms under all the attention.

“Me! Me!” Addie reaches for the popper and takes it from my hands. She waves it around, propping herself up in the grass.

“That’s my girl,” Connor says, bending down to scoop her up in his massive arms. It still amazes me, seeing him hold her like that, with pure reverence in his eyes. “Already loves a good explosion.”

“Dada,” Addie says, pawing at her father’s face and mouth, making him laugh.

“You better not teach that girl how to shoot,” I say, elbowing him as Danielle and Cathal start giving Rowan her presents.

It’s a small gathering, only the core family. We’re out in the yard of the mansion on Malba, back on the edge of the water again. It took a while for the work crews to get the place in a livable state and it’s still not finished, but we moved back in a few weeks ago.

The halls still smell like smoke and sawdust. Sometimes I wonder if I can hear Colm laughing or taste his blood when I walk down the stairs.

But most days, it’s a stupid house.

“Give me that baby,” Rowan says, reaching out for Addie. My daughter squeals as Rowan props her up and gives her some cake. “Good, huh?”

“Rowie, come on, you should ask first,” Danielle says.

“It’s fine. Let the girl eat.” Connor kneels beside them and takes a piece for himself.

“Oh my god, is my son eating sugar right now?” Cathal looks at me in shock. “Who is this man?”

“I swear, a girl came out of me and it changed him forever.”

“Careful,” Connor says, looking up with a wicked smile. “Or else I’ll put another baby in that belly.”

“Oh my god, stop it,” Rowan says, hugging Addie. “It’s my birthday. I don’t want to hear anyone talk about making stupid babies. You excluded, lovie.”

“Me, me, me, me,” Addie says, her favorite word.

Lisa comes out to help slice what’s left of the post-toddler cake. She refills glasses and laughs at jokes. I don’t know what we’d do without her. The scar on her cheek is a living reminder of what she went through and how she earned every single cent of the obscene mid-six-figure salary she earns every year helping around the house.

The small celebration lasts for another hour or so until Cathal insists on driving back to their townhouse. “I keep saying we can get you a place around here,” Connor complains as they get into the car.

“And I keep saying the distance is good for everyone. See you tomorrow.”

Connor watches them drive off. Addie teeters around the front lawn and falls once right onto her butt. Connor scoops her into his arms and holds her tight.